Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Group Write Up: Kelly Terry, Eli Rosen, Mike Ness, Chris Martin
Schedule
May 11th- Group meeting
May 12th-15th-Visit different public parks, recreation centers, or
athletic facilities for information- Observatory park, Washington Park,
Denver Skate Park, and the Richie Center
May 16th-19th –Edit, organize, and start writing off of collected
materials and prepare to build map. Meet as group if needed.
May 19th-22nd-Finalize text and map and submit for deadline.
Group Draft- Armbrust, Veysikh
Denver is a sprawling city that is known for being an oasis of vibrant culture that contains a loud, public art scene. The borders between the mundane habits of everyday life and the pulsating energy of Denver’s many art galleries, public sculptures, and performance artists blur and seep into each other, distorting the border between personal life and the public forum of art and culture. Our project hopes to unify the many mediums of this public art, such as sculpture, interactive music, and live performances, and glean an understanding of what inspires the creators of this art to draw the everyday crowd into their piece. Our map will not only capture the audience and placement of these works, but also the motivation behind them.
Schedule
May 13th- split up, half go to Downtown: including 16th street, Convention Center, and the Denver Public Library.
May 16th- bring in pictures and other things pertaining to our topic.
May 18th- work on final drafting
Week of 13th 20th- the other group members go to DAM and LoDo Downtown
May 20th- finalize the paper and the pictures
Group Draft-Frey, Haraway, Summitt, Baca
Schedule:
May 12th-16th: Attend concert by Cunninlynguists, attend Rockies game, and visit Beta nightclub to collect data and materials for class on Monday. Skiing data and materials will also be collected during this time period but through personal contact. Eat out at Denver specific restaurants (Cherry Cricket).
May 16th-18th: Edit collected materials and prepare to workshop both materials and building Map. Meet in group if needed to edit and discuss materials.
May 18th-22nd: Finish editing both text and map for submission deadline of May 22nd. Individuals edit own writing for both process note and actual map detail.
Group Introduction_Grencik, Meziere_Thomas_Kase
May 14 – Split up, half attend Music Fest, other half attend show at the Walnut room (John Statz)
May 16 – Meet for final drafting
Tuesday May 17 – 7:30 Mercury Café Jazz concert and work on final drafting after
May 20 – Meet for final drafting
Group Draft-Kukulka, Fredrickson, Murray
Group project- Oka
With all the pressure and stress that accompanies university life, it is easy for students to become too engulfed in their work. Both on and off campus there are a myriad of venues individuals can visit as an outlet to relieve stress. The venues that are going to be explored include the beautiful local Washington Park, the state of the art on campus gym and the cozy dorm rooms. The venues marked on the map are places where most DU students visit to overcome their stress. The activities that take place at these places are observed and documented through the use of photographs and interviews. The aim of this Google map project is to capture the essence of the abovementioned venues and the activities that take place there.
Schedule for Rest of Project
1.
A) Week of May 9th- collect pictures and interviews from the gym and dorm.
B) Finish write- up for these two venues by 12th and try to receive some feedback.
2.
A) Week of May 16th- visit park and collect more data.
B) Finish write- up for this venue by 18th
C) Finish rough draft by May 18th
Group Draft - Benedetti, Anton, Howe, Messina
Group Work Day: Goetz and Walkovitz
When most people think of “urban art,” the work “graffiti” instantly comes to mind; however, urban art is much more than just graffiti. For our final project, we chose to investigate the urban art scene around Denver. In this project, we will research the different connotations of urban art and the influences and history behind the art. We intend to travel around Denver looking at different sources and interview people on their perceptions of urban art. There are different projects out there to try and minimize urban art by creating public areas where artists can go and make their creations. This type of art is more popular in the younger adult and youth cultures.
Schedule
May 11 – Visit Division West
May 13 – Visit Motorsports Gallery
May 13 – Visit The Etiquette of Art
May 18 – Start Google maps
May 22 – Turn in final product
Group Draft, Section 11 - Natalie, Jennessa, Bao
For our final project, our group decided to explore the social activity on our college campus. Small colleges campuses don't usually have a lot of social opportunities. We wanted to discover different ways that current students are getting involved at the University of Denver. To do this, we decided to split up and study Greek life, social events/club activities, and places on campus that people gather after class. First, we each went to the different events we wanted to observe. We interviewed some students taking part in the activities about their opinions on these situations and asked them how they felt about these social activities and their importance to them. This will allow us to see the movement of the students throughout the university and how students cope with being on a small campus.
Schedule
Monday, 16th - Outline of the pins - gather information needed and write out what will correspond with each event
Wednesday, 18th - have the pins done so the group can see what was written
(Maps at google.com, share with group)
Friday, 20th - have pictures ready to send to Bao for touch-up
Sat/Sun, 21-22 - finish editing anything needed and have the map completed
Elliott, Hickey, Wonderberger, Richard Group work
Many people who have never been to Denver Colorado may think of it as a cow town out west. However, what they don’t realize is that Denver is a thriving metropolitan area with attractions for all types of people to enjoy. Whether it’s outdoor adventures at one of Denver’s fantastic parks, or a trip to the Natural History Museum and Zoo, Denver has a place for everyone to enjoy. The Denver Art Museum is another must see tourist destination, with its strange architecture and amazing modern art displays. However, if you want to get out of the city and enjoy the great outdoors there are a multitude of parks in the Denver area, and if your not opposed to drive a little ways, the mountains and Garden of the Gods boast nature so serene and beautiful many people never want to leave. If you get hungry in Denver and want to be entertained while you eat then go no further than Casa Bonita. With cliff divers and an enjoyable atmosphere it won't be a meal you will be forgetting anytime soon. So if you’re interested in going on a vacation come to Denver, It will be a memorable experience and that’s a guarantee.
Schedule: Friday: go to zoo and Museums
Sat: Go to parks and Garden of Gods
Sun: Casa bonita
Mon: put together writing and pictures
wed: Set up google map with pins
thur-sun: Finish project and post
Wednesday, May 11
RyanBiondo_in class_5.9.11
Lupe Fiasco is a "popular" rap artist, and says that he's not the type that writes before he has music. When he creates, he creates specifically for the album, little bits at a time. A studio session might consist of sitting down writing a few lines, playing with them, recording them with the track, and coming back to write another bit. The creative process may be something that requires writing in different places, and taking special time. Though he says it's entirely possible to record an entire album in one sitting, like Jay-Z.
Paul Simon is an extremely seasoned and experienced musician and writer. He says that this song, "Love and Hard Times," is a testament to his older writings 20 years ago. Paul had been out of practice, and was writing with a fresh start. He decided to start with improvising melodies and words, and just letting things speak for them selves, utilizing cliches to use space and integrating melody and words together. Good ideas only come with creative energy, and patience.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Goetz_in class_5.9.11
J Mays- J is a car designer for Ford who designs cars according to what they want people to associate the car with. They focus on things that customers look for in a car and then they decide what the car will need to have such as a motor and the other technical factors that going into a car. After the technical details were taken care of they work on the physical mold of the car. Writing procedures can follow this trend if you pick a topic and work towards an outline of what the piece will look like as a final product.
Lupe Fiasco- Lupe is a rapper who writes his own lyrics that are based on the tracks that he plays them to. He does them piece by piece and thinks about them as he goes along. He may change one line over and over again till he gets it right. He talks about how other rappers such as Jay-z can sit down and record a song in one sitting and he does not understand how one can do this. In writing if you take longer and slowly work through a piece you can often have a more refined and focused piece than if you sit down and finish it in one sitting. Lupe has a lot of references to social issues in his songs as shown by the Words I Never Said draft. These meaningful lyrics may take more time to come up with so when trying to write a more interesting paper it may take more trial and error and more time than if one was just to write in a moment.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Walkovitz_Project First Draft: In Class
Lupe is a rapper who makes a track before he adds the words. I think that his creative process is useful because he doesn’t sit down and write it all at once; he works on it as it comes to him. This gives him the best product because he is not trying to force the lyrics. He takes breaks and goes back and listens to what he said before he adds more. This can be used in writing to minimize confusion and add fluency to the paper. He says that everyone has their own way of doing things and it’s just up to you to determine yours.
J Mays
J Mays is a car designer for Ford Motor Company. In his process of creation, he takes baby steps and walks through the whole process. This could be used in writing just as he uses it for making cars. First, he finds his inspiration for creating, just like a writer could for writing. Then he tries to determine how he will bring these elements together to create an outline of the final product. This turns into a draft, or a sketch for him, which slowly comes together to create the entire car.
Tim Burton
Tim Burton has made many movies, such as Alice in Wonderland. His creative style does not really help me with writing. He makes sketches just based on things that he likes and you can’t always write about what you like. Burton also just sits in silence and doodles to get ideas and be inside of his own head. I think that this could possibly help with writing by just sitting down and thinking about your thoughts and just jotting quick notes on paper. This could then be developed into the final project.
Baca in class 5/09
I first of all am a huge fan of Lupe Fiasco. His lyrics are the most in depth from a lot of the other rappers out there not to bash on some of the other influential writers in history, such as Jay-Z or Eminem but Lupe brings much more to the table. In terms of learning from his style of writing it is amazing that he can just sit down and write basically what his song will be about, without any criticisms or changes done by lawyers on the matter of his song. He takes great pride in his work and allows for time to make the song complete, even writing the lyrics before he has the music to go along with it. This is what makes his an artist and not just an unconscious rapper like most other people who can just sit down at the microphone and make a great rhyme scheme from scratch. Fiasco makes art with his music not just something that rhymes. That is why I like his music and why I appreciate his art.
Tim Burton:
Tim Burton creates his own world with his imagination. He makes what he sees in his mind into reality with the re-creation of the movie Alice in Wonderland. From his sketches there is so much detail and thought behind the drawings that they already look like people. With descriptive notes that he could show on the paper he makes the characters more realistic allowing for minor character shifts in clothing or style but keeping the core of what he wants. That is important, to keep the core and change the supporting cast. Finding a core is the hardest part that Burton does so well.
Chuck Close:
Close makes his art from living people but doesn’t just look at one viewpoint. He turns the art in different angles so he can see what it looks like from here or that different view. In order to make something great everyone has to like it. By moving his art in different ways he can appeal to the people who see the world in different ways. Close realizes that he is a nervous wreck as well as sees his work as something he loves. I can see that in my own writing because when I am writing I am calmed down, my breathing is slower and my mind is focusing on the task at hand. This is especially true for the times I like to write creatively.
Jose 5/9
the artist we talked about in the article. I mainly related to the MC Lupe
Fiasco, T.C Boyle, and Tim Burton. All three of these artists seem to like
doing their work by hand, or at least the editing part not on the computer which
is very similar to my personal style. Like T.C I like to scribble on the work
that I have already done. This helps me expand on things that might be a little
vague. Although T.C Boyle types all of his work he later goes over it with a
pen and makes notes on the things he can expand on or the things he would like
to change. I would like to try to type all of my work so it would be a little
easier to understand once I am going over it with the pen.
of the things he is trying to portray. He mentions something about sketching
things far in advanced so his brain has time to play with it. I sometimes find
myself doing similar things with my writing or poetry. If I come up with a line
or a sentence that I could potentially use for a piece I write it down on my
notebook. I hold that sentence or line and try to expand on it and maybe even
get ideas from other sentences or lines I might have wrote down. I also taught
it was cool how he makes thinking and just sitting around part of his process.
I would like to do this more often because I feel like some really deep taughts
and connections to what you are writing about can come from this. This also
allows you to understand or be really familiar with your topic.
his work or ideas on paper and edits where ever he pleases. Like him I am
unable to write unless I have a concept or how he describes it music. I like to
connect with my topic and go in depth with it to understand it well.
Liza Veysikh In-class revision
Frank Gehry discusses how he plans out his architectural style. First, he provides a model that is very sketchy and I didn’t understand at first what he was trying to convey. As he said however, looking into the drawings, I could identify objects and forms that are very similar to the actual building. Therefore, I learned that it is useful to start with a sketch of the project, but have important information in it that would lay out the basics, and work from there adding more and more details. I think that this is also a useful idea for our project because we need to lay out the essential basics (like where the wall and the door is) and then work from there.
Ben Katchor, a cartoonist, depicts different faces that are important in his. I like how he uses essential forms (nose, eyes) and then later adds expressions on their faces and many other shades. I learned that the basic forms are important for laying out the basics and then the details will be in process. I think we should use these ideas in our project.
Revision Process Bland
Laura and Kate Mulleavy are two fashion designers that gained inspiration from talking and finding both historical and contemporary references like: movies or books. They are quoted, “Images help us create a feeling.” This is essential because before you can start the process of writing, the author must have a focus and a theme which can be gained from visualizing or gaining energy from other sources than one’s own imagination. I like this idea, because by taking into account other references it gives perspective and relativity to writing. I find that in my own writing having some background sources to spark new idea is very helpful.
Lupe Fiasco
This artist is very creative in his process of writing. I like the idea of writing in motion with the music in the background. It seems like a natural way to get your mind to transfer and explore free-flowing thoughts. Lupe Fiasco understood that environment and positioning of the body can affect an individuals thought process, this is helpful to me because if you can find those environments that trigger positive energy for writing. I also liked that he discussed the idea that everyone takes different amounts of time to finish projects. In my own projects I should worry less about how much time spent doing work and more about the process itself.
Paul Simon
Paul Simon has a practical approach to looking at songwriting. Describing himself as a poet and determining that writing is a private matter that is not always discussed, he did discuss his own personal preference to write with white paper and silence. I also liked that he talked about writing in bursts of energy, which for me I can only write if I am inspired and passionate about the topic. I can use this to always remember to be connected and establish meaning in writing, even if I do not need to use a well-phrased sentence to get my point across.
Revision Process - Martin Corral
Lupe Fiasco
This revision process helped to remind me that, my group will have to make use of many different methods until we find a method of revision that works well for all of us. In this piece Fiasco talks about the different ways in which rappers come up with their lyrics, including different positions, using music, or not. This is useful because when we come together as a group to write this project, we need to take into account that we have different revision processes. Our group needs to acknowledge each other’s revision processes to find weaknesses, as well as implement other team members’ review processes to form a better final project.
J Mays
This particular artist has a very common approach to writing papers, though he uses it to design vehicles. First he designs the car with the basic attributes that he wants it to have, later he adds to the vehicle to upscale it and make it look better, finally he compares it to others to decide whether it is a worthy competitor. This will be necessary for our group because we need to fulfill the requirements, then utilize our writing skills to shape it and make it look good. Finally we need to compare it to previous works and see if the paper is satisfactory and will be worthy to turn in.
This Chef takes a reverse approach to the creation of a piece. He first takes the piece, strips it down to its essentials, and looks at the basic information. This is an invaluable technique to consider. When our team paper is done, we should definitely take the piece apart and see if it truly is what we originally wanted it to be, and if not, is it better? Taking this paper apart will help us have an extra revision and be able to take the paper to the next level.
Kevin_Frey_InClass_May9
In the second article I choose which is about Jennifer Nelson I really got the sense that teamwork is the name of the game in her profession. Although a base idea is sometimes generated by one person that idea almost always goes through a change before it reaches it’s end product, as seen in the article. This imparts the importance of peer revision and editing to me because without other people inputs, a project is never fully complete.
Finally in T.C. Boyle’s article I learned the importance of self-editing as a continued learning experience. As he mentions, many a time technology takes away from the editing process that is so important to the creation process. As a rule I generally try to write out my thoughts on paper prior to typing them on the computer because I feel that I can see and edit the words easier. This in turn helps me put the paper together into on coherent piece later on down the road.
Will Summitt- In Class
Chuck Close is an artist. His art is canvas painting of actual people. He starts by taking multiple still photographs, which are neutral (as in no emotion). The next step is graphing grids on a photograph and then putting four times as many grids on the canvas. He then puts a base coat on, and “corrects” the painting as he goes. He does this by slow rotations, and observing how to correct the photograph so that it resembles the original photograph, but using abstract colors. I find the art Close produces fascinating. In writing I learned that there are many stages, and that to create a final draft you must first create multiple base layers, or steps to the final product.
LUPE FIASCO
Lupe’s approach is far different than Close’s. Lupe’s creativity comes from many different places. His approach is by listening to a beat or a song multiple times, and thinking of a creative piece to express that music. He will then record a small bit, and go back to listening. He says that much of his inspiration comes randomly, sometimes he’s driving, sometimes he’s sitting, and other raps need to be voiced standing up. It seems that it is mostly emotional, and the environment is the primary factor contributing to spontaneous art and flow. This can aid me in that I need to spend a lot of time with key phrases, and not procrastinate. This is because opportunities for inspiration come at unexpected times, if you aren’t prepared you may miss them.
FRANK GEHRY
Based on this article Frank Gehry’s method is quite simple. He is given requirements for a project, begins with those (parking, front door, etc..). After this he creates a first draft to scale. He says drawing in scale is easy and that his first drafts normally resemble the final product by a surprising amount. He uses shapes and things that he is familiar with, and causes me to believe that his talent comes through practice, and a creative visual image. This is somewhat how I approach my writing, although it isn’t normally successful for me. However I find that spontaneous images occur, I just can’t apply it to writing.
Olivia Anton_In Class
T.C. Boyle
This composer looks at understanding the importance of technology in the creative word. He expresses the influence it has had on his works, by being able to revise he is able to add new sections to amplify the characters part in the story and has proven to make it easier to write, finishing the equivalent of three days writing in a couple hours. This is an important section because it expresses the need and advance writing has come to as technology has increased. This is an important style for me to learn because I am extremely awful with technology and being aware of the importance it has for constructive writing is the “push factor” I need to embrace the upcoming advances.
Paul Simon
Paul Simon using this paper as a chance to describe his technique for writing songs, which is similar to the way, I write papers. He expressed his need for starting with a blank paper and sitting in a silent room, writing down the thoughts that came from the melodies he produced. I think this is a great way to start writing because it makes you think of the experiences you have had and how you can construct a meaningful connection out of it.
Grant Achatz
Grant Achatz, a famous chef known for his inventive/creative unusual foods, uses a style similar to telling a story within his dishes. He describes his dishes as looking at specific ingredients, sensation, and seasons that can translate into a story on the plate. I think this is an important style because it really stretches a creator’s imagination. By having to take simple ingredients and transfer them into a theme, like autumn, shows the authors real creativity. This does not only apply to chefs but to writers as well. By being able to take simple characters, ingredients, and making them combine and join together to create a plot, theme, is what makes a good writer.
Benedetti, In-Class May 9th
Paul Simon is a world-renowned musician who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was famous mainly in the 1970’s and has recently released his new album, Beautiful or So What, which is his 12th album so far. He shared his song brainstorming notebook and walked through his thought process for the song “Love and Hard Times”. The article walks the reader through each verse of the song, as it was written in the notebook and even includes a deleted verse that was not included in the final production. Simon claims that at first when trying to brainstorm a song he improvises melodies and words, and most of the time he throws them away. Eventually he comes to the conclusion that instead of thinking of the words himself, he would rather let the music speak on its own. This would be helpful in the sense that a writer eventually must reach the point where he lets go and allows his work to do all of the creating.
Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Jennifer Nelson is a DreamWorks creator, who helped aid in the production of Kung Fu Panda. Her process includes gathering a group of her co-workers and having a brainstorming session with food. They work off of each other’s ideas, using sketches and verbal communication. The team uses visuals to then create and edit images that will be used in the film. Once the animation is placed into a scene, it is critiqued and can be changed over and over again, If they are not content with the outcome, they start all over. Her process would be useful in the sense that you don’t work alone. Working with a group and bouncing off of each other’s ideas can be a great way to brainstorm.
Ruhl and Bradley
Ruhl and Bradley are famous playwrights who create visually inventive plays. Ruhl claims that she has a visual imagination and works through strange metaphors. She enjoys watching designers critique and interpret her plays, because constructive criticism is a good way to further enhance your own skills.
Bradley got inspiration for one of his playwrights from a dream. Once he awoke, he water colored the dream and then used it to write a story. Because he uses personal experiences and ideas, the final productions are very emotional, which reflects back onto the audience. Using personal experiences is a good way to bring emotion and passion into a piece of work, and I tend to use this technique more than any other technique when I write. Without emotion, a piece of writing is just that.
Murray-Inclass writing
Laura and Kate Mulleavy
Sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy are the founders of the popular L.A. based fashion label Rodarte. This creative sister duo gains inspiration for the fashion line through dialogue and outside sources such as movies, themes, locations, etc. Their creative process begins with “talking.” Discussion allows for a creation, clarification, and specification of a theme. Research is also a key step in the development of the fashion line’s work. I think it would be beneficial for me to talk about my topic or theme prior to actually writing about it. Not only would it help me process my thoughts and lead to better articulation, but it would also give me an opportunity to gain the opinions of an outside source.
T.C. Boyle
I have always been a huge fan of Tim Burton’s work. The director and producer draws inspiration through sketching and thought. I think developing a topic through various mediums would be very beneficial in my own writing. I enjoy using an outline to help guide my work. However, in the future I would like to experiement with drawing out a topic and using it for inspiration.
Howe_In class_5/9/2011
T. C. Boyle
The author talks about how technology has somewhat ruined the revising process. Instead of typing up the copy on a type writer than looking over the copy and, by hand, making precise corrections that can be visible by anyone. The process can all be done on the computer by simply deleting the mistake and making the change seamlessly without anyone noticing. This makes me question the way that I revise my final pieces. Should I highlight things I believe to be changed and make notes that clarify the change then on a new document make the changes, keeping a similar revision process?
Paul Simon
By coming up with a solid base melody and improvising cliché type versus, Paul Simon can get the general idea of the song down. Then through revision he begins to develop meaningful lyrics and as he says “it starts to become alive.” He criticizes the ways other artists’ work who give up on an idea if they cannot get it all down in one “burst of energy.” He says to be patient and keep working on an idea. I believe patience is a very important part in revision and will help me when revising my own work.
Grant Achatz
Grant starts off making his dishes with a few key ingredients in mind. This applies to my writing in the sense that I need to start off which a few key ideas or ingredients that will cook up a delicious creation. He layers his ingredients accordingly and makes sure everything fits perfectly in place. This means I need to be precise while writing. After getting the general idea of what my paper needs to be, I just need to start cooking. By trying out different recipes leading to the same end goal, I can have a little taste of each different approach on my writing until the perfect piece is created and it only needs a slight tweaking after that.
Lucas Kukulka-In class wrting
In this article Lupe describes his process of writing his songs. He explains how he works better is certain places such as the engineer’s desk or in his car. The main thing that he talked about was also the method in which he writes his songs. He explained how some rappers can write a song on the spot in the studio and then how some other rappers take three or more days to finally finish a song. I could relate easily to Lupe because I also have certain spots where I like to do my work and I feel that I can work best in. This can be helpful towards my writing because I can look to find inspiration in other places.
Frank Gehry:
In this article Gehry talks about his buildings and how he develops them. He mentions how as he has become more experienced he has been able to design things easier. He knows where all the bullshit goes. He knows how to construct a plan and get all the stupid stuff out of the ways such as the entrance and where the cars should be parked. He also likes to design from the inside out. This method is something you can apply to your writing. You can start with the body or the main peace of your paper then add the conclusion and intro to finish off your essay.
Ben Katchor:
In this article Katchor explains his method of planning out his graphic novels. He always starts with a script and then adds his pictures to it because then it becomes easier for him to draw. If I were in his shoes I would use a similar method because that would be the easiest method for me to use. This can be applied to writing. It is always easier to develop a game plan first and then put the pieces in place rather than do it all at once. This can be used for revisions as well. When you go back and look at a paper you can fill in the missing pieces when you realize you could have added something or taken something out.
Messina_In-class_5/9/11
Lupe Fiasco does a great job in describing his own unique way of producing his own art of music. He does go into detail of how he works on his own creative process, and how he prefers writing songs in his car. He feels that he gets his most creative juices flowing when he is just driving around and listening to beats of the song. He feels that his creative thoughts come to him more effectively when he is actually in motion. I do feel like this source will be useful to me because I do feel like as individuals, our minds work differently and we have to find the best method for doing projects that work best for us. I also might take his method of writing each piece by piece. This is useful in writing to just be able to make sure you get it done on time.
J Mays
J Mays is discussing the creative process that he goes through in designing the his new concept for the sport utility vehicle, the Vertrek. He first describes his process of working on the new prototype by describing the premium materials that he wants to put into the car. Then goes into creating actual picture of the car on how it is to be laid out. Then spend two or three months designing actual sketches of the car. Following this he designs an actual outer shell of the car putting in an engine and cutting out the windows. Finally, he creates quarter scale clay models of the car. From this source I would use the method of taking a project step by step and perfecting each step before moving onto the next. This process is useful in writing because its meant to take your time to finish your paper, and if you take time to break it down to simple steps to perfect them, you can produce a well written paper for the project.
Tim Burton
Tim Burton describes his creative process by discussing how he first doodles and sketches ideas of the characters about six months before the film. He never just sits down and starts drawing, he says he usually just stares off into space then doodle whatever comes to him. I feel that although his methods are different from the other two artists, it is quite useful to use in my project. Sometimes, I do feel that I think about one area of the project too much, when in turn you just need to find a place and just get creative, drawing basically whatever comes to mind. This method may not be as effective as the other artists’ methods. But, this method will certainly help you from overthinking the process too much.
Mark Meziere -- In Class 5/9/11
Ben Katchor
Ben Katchor is a famous New York illustrator, most known for his cartoons. He models his cartoons after real people whom he sees out in public in areas such as the subway. Ben says he tries to match roles in his cartoons to people’s faces. Katchor always writes the scripts to his stories before he does the drawing. He does this to ensure that the picture includes everything necessary to make the story make sense. When Katchor completes his artistic works he does them in ink, showing possibly he is not afraid to make mistakes. The main thing I took away from Katchor’s method of revising was to get your data down before you begin putting the story together. I feel that if you get your data and ideas down on paper then you can better organize them.
J Mays
J Mays is an auto designer who currently works for Ford motors. Designing a new automobile is a long and complex ordeal. What J Mays and his team of designers do first is come up with a list of attributes they would like the car to have. They decide the materials to be used in the car. The team then develops a couple sketches. The first shows the skeleton of the car with humans and car parts (such as the engine) inside so that the team can get a good idea of how much room is taken up in the automobile. They eventually create a model of the car out of clay like material and this becomes the mold for many outer body parts. I can apply this method to my writing by deciding what attributes I want my paper to have before I write it. Also getting sketches from other companies is somewhat like getting your paper revised by another person because it allows the paper to be viewed from a different perspective.
Grant Achatz
Grant Achatz is a restaurant owner and chef in Chicago famous for his elaborate dishes. When Achatz begins coming up with ideas for a new dish he has to consider many elements. He must consider the display of the dish, ingredients, preparation, seasoning, etc. Once all of the elements are decided on he begins his food experiments, completing many trials to make sure the dish is perfect. This can be related to organizing a paper because you have to consider such elements as your audience, subject, and any parameters your professor might have included. Then once you have decided on all of this information you can write your paper and continue editing it until you are satisfied.
Andy Thomas- In class writing 5/9
Ruhl, an award winning playwright, and Bradley, a set designer, collaborate together to turn stories into live action theater. They would work together to first turn the vague ideas inside their heads into rough sketches and tangible visuals, then finally they turn these into actual sets. They go through a process that seems undefined and loose, there doesn’t appear to be a strict process they go through, they more just let their ideas evolve into being. However that may happen. I feel that I could adapt this to my own work by accepting that how I put together my projects does not have to be set in a rigid way. It is sometimes best to simply let things evolve with my own inspirations and experiences. Be this in how I structure my essays, what I choose to research, or the styles I might be writing in.
J Mays
Unlike the above artists, J Mays seems to work in a more rigid process. He starts by discussing ideas and then turns these ideas into sketches and diagrams and eventually physical models. However, he seems to always work in collaboration with others to produce the best possible product, and further, every step in the design project seems to exist to scrutinize the work. I feel that I could incorporate this into my own work by taking my projects through several steps, and at each step taking a moment to examine what I like about it and what I would like to change. Then, I would be able to make adjustments, and if I am able to keep an open mind, I can let my work evolve into something I might not have originally intended, but could be much better.
Lupe Fiasco
Perhaps more similar to the first set of artists, Lupe Fiasco seems to work in a more fluid and spontaneous fashion. He describes how inspiration will come to him at any time and in different settings. Sometimes while at the studio, or sometimes while driving a car. He makes a point that the creative process for creating this type of music is difficult and different for every individual, but that there is rarely a set way that it should be done. I feel I could include this into my own writing process by recognizing that my inspiration will not always be the same every time, or might not come in traditional ways. It might be better to be thinking about my projects constantly and be willing to act on inspiration that I might have even if I’m not physically sitting down and working on it.
How Artists Describe their Creative Processes, By Matt Kase
Paul Simon
There is a thick parallel between the processes involved in writing and those that spark the creation of music. Paul Simon focuses much of his description of songwriting on the relationship that develops through the symbiotic association between melody and lyrics. He starts by sitting with a guitar and letting his musical imagination take the melody where it feels right, and sometimes assigns arbitrary or cliché words to the music in order to see if the idea unfolds fluently. In writing, the thoughts that the author wants to express are like a melodic idea, and in both art forms the original concept usually originates as fragmentary or undeveloped. As Paul Simon used his lyrics to fill a melody, I will use sentence structure and carefully chosen diction in order to illustrate my thesis.
Tim Burton
Although the text was sparse, Burton’s description of his creative process could be useful to me. He mentions always having liked big eyes or heads and exaggerated facial features, so he implemented that theme as much as possible in his character designs for Alice in Wonderland. While I write my paper, I would really like to think of what I like to analyze, but not regarding the subject matter. Like Tim Burton, my analysis will focus on a perspective of the subject that especially excites or challenges me.
Frank Gehry
Gehry’s explanation of creative architecture was actually fairly applicable to my writing assignment. One of the aspects of academic writing that I have always struggled with is the restriction on form and content that a prompt will often impose. The equivalent to prompts in Gehry’s art is a city’s budget and general concerns for what the building is expected to be. He describes the futility, to an extent, in attempting to go against those guidelines. Instead, Gehry works with the restrictions in hopes of creating art through his desired perspective lens while still maintaining a lucrative creative environment built around cooperation.
Oka In- Class May 9th
He is a winner of the Pritzker Prize, a major accomplishment for an architect. His style of architecture is ‘abstract’ and does not conform to the norms as established by most traditional architects. His creative process is what truly sets him apart from other individuals in his field. He works from the inside out when designing a structure. Likewise I plan to construct my work by deciding on its ‘interior’ (content) and leaving the organization till a later part of the revision process. His structures also have elements in them that reflect a part of his identity. For example, his use of curved panels that appear to resemble sails reflecting his love for sailing. I would also do well to incorporate more of my personal views and style into my writing during the revision process.
Lupe Fiasco
He is a Grammy award winning hip- hop artist known for his witty and meaningful lyrics. By examining his songwriting process, I believe there is a significant amount I can learn from him. He typically writes only after he has music (or a tune). This is important because it sets the scope for the lyrics of the songs to be developed upon. In my own writing, I hope to set the scope effectively first before embarking on any extensive writing to ensure that my piece is effective and useful to readers. Like Fiasco, I do most of my best work in weird locales and manners. I feel that every individual has a unique environment where they are able to write their best work. For this piece I plan to explore new places to do my writing and observe its impact on my work.
Laura & Kate Mulleavy
They are the founders of the LA based label Rodarte and are widely regarded as two of the fashion industry’s newest talents. They start a collection by discussing ideas and then by encapsulating these ideas into images to help create a ‘feeling’. Although I am not a very visual person, for this project I plan to include more imagery in my work. I would like to grow as a writer by expanding my techniques, and as they say “a picture is worth a thousand words” and I hope by minimizing text where it is not required I hope to maximize the effect it will have on the readers.
Oka In- Class May 9th
He is a winner of the Pritzker Prize, a major accomplishment for an architect. His style of architecture is ‘abstract’ and does not conform to the norms as established by most traditional architects. His creative process is what truly sets him apart from other individuals in his field. He works from the inside out when designing a structure. Likewise I plan to construct my work by deciding on its ‘interior’ (content) and leaving the organization till a later part of the revision process. His structures also have elements in them that reflect a part of his identity. For example, his use of curved panels that appear to resemble sails reflecting his love for sailing. I would also do well to incorporate more of my personal views and style into my writing during the revision process.
Lupe Fiasco
He is a Grammy award winning hip- hop artist known for his witty and meaningful lyrics. By examining his songwriting process, I believe there is a significant amount I can learn from him. He typically writes only after he has music (or a tune). This is important because it sets the scope for the lyrics of the songs to be developed upon. In my own writing, I hope to set the scope effectively first before embarking on any extensive writing to ensure that my piece is effective and useful to readers. Like Fiasco, I do most of my best work in weird locales and manners. I feel that every individual has a unique environment where they are able to write their best work. For this piece I plan to explore new places to do my writing and observe its impact on my work.
Laura & Kate Mulleavy
They are the founders of the LA based label Rodarte and are widely regarded as two of the fashion industry’s newest talents. They start a collection by discussing ideas and then by encapsulating these ideas into images to help create a ‘feeling’. Although I am not a very visual person, for this project I plan to include more imagery in my work. I would like to grow as a writer by expanding my techniques, and as they say “a picture is worth a thousand words” and I hope by minimizing text where it is not required I hope to maximize the effect it will have on the readers.
First Draft - Grencik
I really liked Lupe Fiasco's point that everyone is different. There is no one proper way to write something. It also depends on what you're writing. For some songs he has to sit down and physically think things out with music, and others he needs to stand up. I also liked how he'd write a little, go back and look at it, record it, and then make revisions where necessary. I would not be to do this because when I write something, I like to get all of my ideas out on the paper, and then go back and revise (but this could work for a creative piece such as a fictional story, etc.).
Tim Burton
As general and vague as he is in his descriptions of how he came to these ideas, in a way I really enjoy it. I can't explain sometimes what I write or why, it just flows and comes in the most random times - especially times where I decide to procrastinate and do nothing. On the other hand, ideas don't always strike me in time and I need to take a different approach at writing (such as Lupe's approach) because unlike Tim Burton, I don't make my own deadlines.
Ben Katchor
Ben Katchor's approach is the one that I like the best. His approach of laying out all of the text and drawing the big pictures after are what I like to do and should utilize more. Once he has everything out there, only then can he tell what will work and what won't work. That's the whole point of drafting - to get your ideas out there and then take out the ones that are unnecessary or need to be emphasized more. For my papers I can just write out everything that's on my mind (i.e., draw the big picture), and then take those ideas and form them around the ideas that are most necessary, just as Ben Katchor does.
Underberger_InClass_May9
J Mays is a renowned auto designer who works for Ford. He has turned heads with energetic re-imaginations of iconic cars such as the Mustang and Firebird. Recently, he also designed the revamping of the Volkswagen Beetle, which is soon to be released. For the editing process, Mays undergoes multiple visual stages of comprehension in order to finalize the design. Starting with a simple idea or concept, he uses his mind to create a visual image of what the car should look like based on the qualities they want it to convey. After a first drawing, a technical drawing is created to show the size of the car with people inside of it, as well as how much room the engine and other parts will take up. After the size is determined to be a good fit, artists make kinetic sketches of the vehicle in attempt to show what it looks like while moving. This helps give a better idea of what the final car will actually look like if it is deemed worthy to be made for production. The concept of sketches is used to “walk around” the car and visualize it from every angle. Finally after meeting approval, a quarter-scale clay rendering of the car is made to observe in a move life size state. Usually a mold is taken of this clay model, and is used to create an exterior shell for that vehicle. As shown in this process, Mays spends multiple times re-evaluating his design through the use of visual imaging, and eventually is able to reach the final product because of it. Taking a project in small steps, and reflecting on it as the work is completed ensures the elimination of any errors, and could be a valuable task for creating papers as well.
Tim Burton
Tim Burton can be described as one of the most visually distinctive directors in all of Hollywood. His drawing styles are so abstract that is has led him to create “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and re-directed “Alice in Wonderland” with an extremely creative twist. Burton claims to be attracted to over-exaggerated features in characters, creating a different type of “madness” for each one. Tim also tends to use thoughts and ideas from other projects to relate to other characters. One of his early sketches, that of Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney Todd helped create new characters for “Alice in Wonderland” that popped with emotion. Burtons strategy involves reserving time each day to just sit down and do nothing, a technique in which he hopes staring off into space will randomly help create a character in his mind. Tim Burtons strategies seem rather difficult to incorporate in writing, as staring off into space might distract one from writing, and lead to procrastination.
Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry is a winner of the Pritzker Prize as an architect. His style has become a trademark, especially when observing his design for the New World Symphony building in Miami. Gehry starts by analyzing the obvioius, where doors and parking lots need to be for optimum efficiency, and eventually makes a model of the entire lot. Gehry works from the inside out, his sketches appear to imply form, but are really just educated implications. Then using general facts about the type of building being created, he can create a outline shape for the building. One way to describe his work is that he is both intuitive, but his intuition is informed. When comparing this to writing, it can be like creating an outline before filling in the middle of a paper. Getting all the necessary ideas out first, and filling in the rest with more detail.
Romero_InClass_FirstDraft
Lupe Fiasco:
In his piece, Lupe Fiasco tells readers that he writes his songs piece by piece. Before even writing, Fiasco says he has to listen to the music then, he begins a process of trail and error. All of his songs are written piece by piece. To improve my own writing, it might be a good idea to follow the same technique. Until now, I have written an entire first draft before I begin to edit. I might try writing one section at a time and “perfecting” it before moving on to the next. For instance, I could focus on the background info of my project and simply edit it until I feel it is adequate. Then, could write the other parts and work and making the entire paper flow.
Jennifer Yu Nelson
Nelson says that in the process of making a character, she begins by sitting in a room with other people and exchanging ideas back and forth. From this process she goes on to make a very rough idea of what the character might look and sounds like. I could do a similar thing when witting a paper for class. If I were writing about a controversial issue, it would not be a bad idea to present my topic to a few friends and see what they think. Even a short two-minute discussion could give me a different perspective for my paper. Then I could jot down my ideas and begin a rough outline of the paper.
T.C. Boyle
Boyle seems to take a different approach that Fiasco does when writing the first draft of his book. He begins by writing a rough draft of the entire paper and then determines what would improve the entire paper before he adds it all in. This is a lot like I write my papers now. I still might be a good idea to take a very careful look at my paper as a whole and then begin to dissect it.
Brendan Hickey_In Class_ May 9
WRIT Revision Note
J Mays-
This article discussed the process of creating a concept car. This Idea can be used in writing since you want the draft to be as close to the finished project as you can make it, and when you first start you should have an overall style. Once it’s form is complete you work on things like the drive train which can help the work flow and then focus on the smaller details. It also discusses multiple designers to ketch more flaws much like proof reading when writing a paper.
Grant Achatz-
This piece discusses creating a new dish and in this particular example a three layered dish that gets progressively more flavorful as you work your way down. He discusses how they have different tests for each dish much like having some else proof read and then making corrections and reading or trying again. He addresses how the consumer may have difficulty with certain aspects of a dish much like a reader may not understand aspects of a paper.
Frank Gehry-
This article talks about the process and challenges once faces when designing a new building. The aspect I can see most helpful for writing a paper is the idea that one can not go by the constraints they are given by the employer or the form given by the professor, they have to challenge themselves to make the piece their own which in turn makes a piece unique and better. He also go’s into drafting where you know what’s needed and start with that to build off of.
Jennessa Lever 5/9/11 First Drafts
Paul Simon describes his revising technique as simply pushing forward. He also talks about being patient and erasing things you don’t like. This is good advice. If you don’t like it, how can you expect someone else to like it, and think that it was a good idea? He is speaking in relation to songwriting, however his methods can be applied anywhere. He says sometimes things just click into place. This is very true. When writing I often have a hard time coming up with the word I want to use. However, with a few minutes of staring at the screen or into the dark abyss that is where my desk is located, it is possible to find the right words for the page.
J Mays
Through this article it becomes clear that writing is a lot like building a car. First, you have to know what you are looking for. Then you need to know what will go inside of it, and then you start drafting, creating a physical product. It is only after you have reached a certain point that you then finalize the project into a hard material, and begin to create the actual model. It is through the creation of a model, or for our purposes, a paper, that you reach the final product. Also, it will be many clay drafts before there is a final prototype released. This is very useful to me, because it is an outlining process, something that although I already do, I wish I were able to do better. It would be wonderful to write up an outline and have that be the key decider in everything that you write from that point on.
Lupe Fiasco and Ben Katchor
I have linked these two together for a particular reason. That being, they both talked about when you write sometimes you need a change of scenery. Lupe Fiasco spoke about needing to sometimes take a drive and listen to the beat of whatever song he is currently working on, while Ben Katchor said he can do the writing anywhere, it is simply the cartoon drawings he needs to be centered for. This is helpful. Everyone gets stuck, and staring at the same spot on the bookshelf above your desk is not going to help change the fact that you are stuck. By looking for inspiration in other places you may think of things you wouldn’t have previously; even when you are working on a research project as opposed to a creative project. You may think of a clever way to word something, or perhaps a manner in which to use another topic to get more information into your piece.
In Class Writing 5/9/11-Sara Ach
The second author I chose is a musician, Paul Simon, who described his song writing process. He wrote about how he will start off writing some lyrics, then switch to melody, and jump back and forth until it is done. If he can’t get the right words, he just keeps erasing and re-writing until he gets it right. It’s a process, not a one time event and then it is done. I learned from this source that, just because a piece of writing does not flow onto the page right from the beginning, does not mean that it cannot be good. Sometimes I feel like my good papers just flow easily and whenever I struggle with one, it is not as good. This source taught me that is not necessarily true, and I can apply this knowledge to my writing whenever I sit down to write a paper now, and words are not flowing like I would like them to.
The third and final author I chose was Tim Burton, a film maker and director, who developed the characters for the recent movie of “Alice in Wonderland.” This source has very few words, but shows the steps in creating the design and looks of the characters he created. This shows that, like a writing process, one must start from the bare bones, the core, and can only move ahead to the next step once that is finished. Burton starts with a rough pencil sketch, then moves to a rough sketch with color, then to the final. This is the same as the writing process should be, brainstorming and creating a rough outline, writing a rough draft, and then revising and touching it up to create the final. Especially with this source, I can apply his techniques to the google map project both in the writing section as well as the creative section, knowing that when I create my map, it is probably not done. I can go back in and touch it up, make it more appealing to the eye, and make it easier to navigate.
Mazurek In Class 5/9
Paul Simon:
Simon talks about sticking with an idea until you get right. While writing is never perfect, this is great advice because it is good to work and rework an idea until you are satisfied with it. With only one attempt at a project there are often issues with word choice and fluency. However, after multiple attempts at getting a paragraph, a line, or even a single word right, you are able to make the connection that you have been trying to make and you can be satisfied with your work. This is advice that I will definitely apply to my draft.
Tim Burton:
Burton talks about setting time aside to just sit and think or doodle. This is important advice because often our best ideas come from stepping back from the project and just letting life happen. In my writing, stress comes when I attempt to force a topic. I will sit in front of my computer for hours attempting to force inspiration but all I end up doing is wasting time and stressing myself out even more. In times like this it is important to take a break and put your topic in the back of your mind. Often when doing this, life will provide the inspiration that you had been searching for. This is advice that I use in all of my writing and will continue to use throughout this project.
Lupe Fiasco:
Fiasco talks about writing in steps. He discusses how he writes a little bit and then goes back and reviews what he has written before he moves on. This is very helpful advice because looking back before moving forward helps you to stay on topic by reminding you what you were trying to say when you started. This is another tactic that I often use in my writing and will continue to use throughout this project.